So I'm still thinking about what I should do. I didn't have super grades or LSAT (157/3.04 GPA), but I taught overseas and high school English here. Great softs, have a disability and URM (AA woman).

I've been granted $105k scholly for Stetson in St. Petersburg, which covers about 85% of tuition. $6,400/yr would be my responsibility in loans. I can tell they really want me, was invited to their "Dinner with the Dean", held at a 5-star restaurant with top alumni and several other admitted students.

However, I want to get a job in my city of Atlanta once law school is over. Georgia State is where I went undergrad and is GREAT in health law which is what I want to practice (they even have health-centered clinics there). GSU is sticker at about $16.9/yr and the cost of living in downtown Atlanta is a lot higher than near St. Petersburg. Keep in mind I already have $46k in debt from undergrad. Also, to make this decision even more convoluted, I'm waitlisted for UGA. I'm THIS close to putting in my seat deposit for Stetson but hesitant still.

Do you know what kind of job you would like? You say you'd like to practice in health law, but working for a hospital/medical institution will not be feasible for several years as they generally only hired experienced attorneys.

I wouldn't say GSU has "great" employment rates. For the class of '15 128 of 199 graduates were working on bar passage required full time long term jobs (read: actual attorney jobs). Of those 128, 49 were working at firms with 10 attorneys or less (not necessarily the places that will send you to a hospital after 4 years). About 40 students out of 199 graduates got the nicely paying jobs, which would help someone service a sticker debt.

I didn't even bother to look at Stetson's stats because they can't be better.

If you're a bit fiscally conservative, I would definitely retake the lsat. I know your gpa is low, but as a splitter, you could probably get into UGA with a nice scholarship and GSU probably with closer to full ride.

I don't always tell people to retake, but in your situation I definitely would.

[quote)If you're a bit fiscally conservative, I would definitely retake the lsat. I know your gpa is low, but as a splitter, you could probably get into UGA with a nice scholarship and GSU probably with closer to full ride.

I don't always tell people to retake, but in your situation I definitely would.[/quote]

Retaking LSAT not an option. I already waited a extra year. I'm 37. Plus I already retook and raised it from 154 to 157

Go to Stetson then, at least it won't cost you your whole life. But don't be shocked when you struggle, if not fail, to find a job in Atlanta. If you attend Stetson, you should primarily focus on working in the Tampa Bay area, as that is where you will most likely be able to find a job.

MOLaw wrote:I'm partial to Stetson. I have at 156/3.3, poor softs (worked full-time through college, didn't have a ton of time of anything else but work or school). I'm hoping to get some kind of scholly.

[b][/Apply now before the money runs out. You're at 75% percentile with LSAT and median with GPA. You should get something but the earlier the betterb]

Do not go to GSU for sticker, especially with all of your UG debt. If these are your only two options and you definitely do not want to retake, go with Stetson, but just make sure you're comfortable with staying in Florida (as others have noted, it'll likely be very difficult for you to find a job in Atlanta). It seems like you are leaning towards that option anyways. See if you can negotiate your scholly up to a full ride.

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm ruminating over the fact that I will probably have to stay in Tampa a year or two after I graduate to get a position I want, then go to Atlanta once I have more experience.

I originally had a $30k/yr scholarship and it got upped to $35k/yr after I increased my LSAT 3 points. What do you think my chances are of getting another increase? I just attended a "Dinner with the Dean" last night so they know I'm extremely interested. Full tuition is $41.4k. I was thinking of asking them to up to $38.5k

gbullock19 wrote:Thanks for the input everyone. I'm ruminating over the fact that I will probably have to stay in Tampa a year or two after I graduate to get a position I want, then go to Atlanta once I have more experience.

I originally had a $30k/yr scholarship and it got upped to $35k/yr after I increased my LSAT 3 points. What do you think my chances are of getting another increase? I just attended a "Dinner with the Dean" last night so they know I'm extremely interested. Full tuition is $41.4k. I was thinking of asking them to up to $38.5k

They only gave you $5k more when you got your lsat over their 75th percentile?

Just ask for a full ride. You're not going to lose anything by asking for full. If they're not going to up your scholly to full, they won't give you $38.5k. Do you have any other acceptances or scholarships to negotiate with? Hopefully you applied to Mercer...

gbullock19 wrote:Just ask for a full ride. You're not going to lose anything by asking for full. If they're not going to up your scholly to full, they won't give you $38.5k. Do you have any other acceptances or scholarships to negotiate with? Hopefully you applied to Mercer...

I applied to Mercer and their scholly offer was much worse. Their median is only 152 and they only offered 22k/yr (tuition is $38.9), when I asked for reconsideration after the score increase they only raised it to 24k/yr.

Stetson said I would have had a full ride if my GPA was 3.3 or higher. The diversity coordinator said the original recommendation was 25k, that's why I think they only went up five...but I took your advice and asked anyway. We'll see what they say....

MOLaw wrote:I'm partial to Stetson. I have at 156/3.3, poor softs (worked full-time through college, didn't have a ton of time of anything else but work or school). I'm hoping to get some kind of scholly.

[b][/Apply now before the money runs out. You're at 75% percentile with LSAT and median with GPA. You should get something but the earlier the betterb]

gbullock19 wrote:Thanks for the input everyone. I'm ruminating over the fact that I will probably have to stay in Tampa a year or two after I graduate to get a position I want, then go to Atlanta once I have more experience.

I originally had a $30k/yr scholarship and it got upped to $35k/yr after I increased my LSAT 3 points. What do you think my chances are of getting another increase? I just attended a "Dinner with the Dean" last night so they know I'm extremely interested. Full tuition is $41.4k. I was thinking of asking them to up to $38.5k

Just a bit of caution, this isn't likely a "wait a couple of years", it is somewhat likely that you would not be able to transfer to Atlanta ever.

gbullock19 wrote:Thanks for the input everyone. I'm ruminating over the fact that I will probably have to stay in Tampa a year or two after I graduate to get a position I want, then go to Atlanta once I have more experience.

I originally had a $30k/yr scholarship and it got upped to $35k/yr after I increased my LSAT 3 points. What do you think my chances are of getting another increase? I just attended a "Dinner with the Dean" last night so they know I'm extremely interested. Full tuition is $41.4k. I was thinking of asking them to up to $38.5k

Just a bit of caution, this isn't likely a "wait a couple of years", it is somewhat likely that you would not be able to transfer to Atlanta ever.

Eh, people who get legal jobs and get experience move around more in their careers than TLS tends to expect. It makes things much easier if you go to school in the community where you want to work, but people do change cities. Admittedly it may be tougher than "a year or two," and the issue is getting the job/experience to start. I agree that if the OP wants to work in Atlanta they should go to school in Atlanta, but I don't think that's the same as never being able to transfer to Atlanta ever if they don't.

gbullock19 wrote:Thanks for the input everyone. I'm ruminating over the fact that I will probably have to stay in Tampa a year or two after I graduate to get a position I want, then go to Atlanta once I have more experience.

I originally had a $30k/yr scholarship and it got upped to $35k/yr after I increased my LSAT 3 points. What do you think my chances are of getting another increase? I just attended a "Dinner with the Dean" last night so they know I'm extremely interested. Full tuition is $41.4k. I was thinking of asking them to up to $38.5k

Just a bit of caution, this isn't likely a "wait a couple of years", it is somewhat likely that you would not be able to transfer to Atlanta ever.

Eh, people who get legal jobs and get experience move around more in their careers than TLS tends to expect. It makes things much easier if you go to school in the community where you want to work, but people do change cities. Admittedly it may be tougher than "a year or two," and the issue is getting the job/experience to start. I agree that if the OP wants to work in Atlanta they should go to school in Atlanta, but I don't think that's the same as never being able to transfer to Atlanta ever if they don't.

Oh I have no doubt people do, maybe my wording was poor. When I said somewhat likely, I meant the majority of students probably won't be able to leave the area and get legal jobs. That still leaves half the class or so that will eventually move around. I was just trying to point out its not a for sure thing where you have to pay your dues then leave. You probably would need some sort of network or in in Atlanta that can get him interviews.

gbullock19 wrote:So I'm still thinking about what I should do. I didn't have super grades or LSAT (157/3.04 GPA), but I taught overseas and high school English here. Great softs, have a disability and URM (AA woman).

I've been granted $105k scholly for Stetson in St. Petersburg, which covers about 85% of tuition. $6,400/yr would be my responsibility in loans. I can tell they really want me, was invited to their "Dinner with the Dean", held at a 5-star restaurant with top alumni and several other admitted students.

However, I want to get a job in my city of Atlanta once law school is over. Georgia State is where I went undergrad and is GREAT in health law which is what I want to practice (they even have health-centered clinics there). GSU is sticker at about $16.9/yr and the cost of living in downtown Atlanta is a lot higher than near St. Petersburg. Keep in mind I already have $46k in debt from undergrad. Also, to make this decision even more convoluted, I'm waitlisted for UGA. I'm THIS close to putting in my seat deposit for Stetson but hesitant still.

Both have great bar passage and employment rates. WWYD?

Why do you want to work in health law specifically? Would health administration work be appealing to you? I'm trying to figure out your value added for three years of opportunity cost and however many thousands of dollars you end up paying, especially if there's a related non law position you're already qualified for.